MLB Player News

Gausman topped out at 96.2 mph with his fastball during his spring debut Wednesday against the Pirates, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. The 34-year-old right-hander walked one and struck out two over 1.2 scoreless, no-hit innings while tossing 23 of 38 pitches for strikes.

Gausman dealt with shoulder trouble last spring that prevented him from getting fully stretched out ahead of Opening Day, and he seemed to be playing catch-up all season with both his velocity and his command on his breaking pitches. Gausman finished with a 3.83 ERA and 21.4 percent strikeout rate -- his worst numbers in those categories since 2019 -- over 181 regular-season innings while averaging just 93.9 mph with his fastball. He spent this winter putting on extra muscle, and it showed in his first Grapefruit League action as he averaged 94.9 mph with his heater. If Gausman begins this season healthy, a bounce-back campaign could well be in the cards, as he produced a 3.16 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 31.1 percent strikeout rate as recently as 2023.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that Teodo is a long shot to make the team's Opening Day roster, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Teodo has turned heads this spring with his big stuff and his results, as he's fanned five batters over 3.1 scoreless frames. However, Bochy noted that the Rangers want Teodo to continue to develop as a starting pitcher, and there's currently not room for him in the big-league rotation. Teodo is already on the 40-man roster and could make his major-league debut at some point in 2025 if he pitches well at Triple-A Round Rock.

The White Sox reassigned Smith to minor-league camp Thursday.

The fifth overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, Smith spun three scoreless frames and struck out four across two Cactus League outings. Smith has the potential to be a quick mover through the system, although the White Sox have little reason to rush him since they're unlikely to be competitive for a while.

The White Sox reassigned Schultz to minor-league camp Thursday.

Schultz never had a chance to make the Opening Day roster but made a nice impression during his two Cactus League appearances, tossing three scoreless frames. The top prospect is likely to begin the season back in the Double-A Binghamton rotation and could push for a major-league debut before the end of the year.

The White Sox optioned Gonzalez to Double-A Birmingham on Thursday.

Gonzalez served up a couple solo home runs in his lone inning during Cactus League play. Acquired from the Red Sox this offseason, the 22-year-old Gonzalez will be deployed in Birmingham's rotation in 2025 and will be looking to bounce back from a 2024 campaign which saw him post a 4.73 ERA and 92:46 K:BB over 83.2 innings at the Double-A level.

The Athletics list Zhuang (undisclosed) on the roster for their March 14 Spring Breakout game against Padres prospects, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Zhuang looks to be healthy heading into the 2025 season after he didn't pitch for Double-A Midland after Aug. 29 last season due to an unspecified injury. The 24-year-old righty submitted a 2.05 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 18:5 K:BB in 22 innings for Midland following a promotion from High-A Lansing in late July.

The White Sox optioned Iriarte to Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday.

Iriarte's control problems persisted his spring, as he walked five and hit a batter while yielding three runs over his 4.1 innings of work. The White Sox plan to continue developing the 23-year-old as a starting pitcher for now, but a shift to the bullpen might eventually come.

The White Sox optioned Eder to Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday.

Eder was touched up for four runs (three earned) on two hits and three walks over 2.1 innings this spring. The left-hander will likely be used in the rotation at Charlotte and could eventually be an option to help the White Sox as a starter or reliever.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Thursday that he expects Gil (lat) to be sidelined for at least three months, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

Gil is nursing a high-grade right lat strain, a diagnosis which was confirmed by a second MRI back in New York. The righty will be shut down for at least six weeks and will need to be built back up from scratch, so Cashman's revelation that Gil won't be an option until June, at the earliest, doesn't come as a surprise. Marcus Stroman and Will Warren are competing to fill Gil's spot in the Yankees' rotation.

Rasmussen threw two scoreless innings during which he allowed one hit and one walk in Monday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.

Rasmussen has dealt with elbow injuries across the last two seasons, severely limiting his innings. However, he's still being stretched out as a starter this spring and managed 29 pitches in his spring training debut. Per Adam Berry of MLB.com, manager Kevin Cash has stated the team will use common sense when monitoring Rasmussen's workload, which could mean he is initially used in shorter stints or his turn through the rotation is occasionally skipped.